Heavy Cream Recipe - Oh So Foodie (2024)

FAQs

How do you make homemade heavy cream? ›

Combine 1/4 cup (57 grams) of melted butter with 3/4 cup (178 mL) of milk and mix thoroughly to make 1 cup (237 ml) of heavy cream. You can also add a tablespoon (8 grams) of flour to thicken the liquid, especially if you're using low fat milk.

Yes, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the exact same thing. The confusion lies in the fact that they're sold by different brands under two different names. According to the US Food and Drug Administration's labelling standards, heavy cream must contain at least 36 percent milk fat.

If you have butter and milk (whole milk or even half-and-half work best), you can make your own heavy cream substitute. To make 1 cup of heavy cream, melt 1/4 cup of butter and slowly whisk in 3/4 cup milk. This works for most baking or cooking recipes that require heavy cream, but it will not whisk into stiff peaks.

According to the FDA, half-and-half contains between 10.5 percent to 18 percent milk fat, while heavy cream contains between 36 percent and 40 percent milk fat. Because heavy cream contains more fat, it is thicker and has a richer taste and a creamier mouthfeel than half-and-half.

Heavy cream is made by skimming or separating the fattest layer of liquid off the top of whole milk in a processing plant. Commercial heavy cream also often contains added vitamins, stabilizers, and thickeners like carrageenan, polysorbate, and mono and diglycerides.

Similarly to half-and-half, milk makes a good heavy cream substitute when it's combined with melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup melted butter for every cup of heavy cream. This mixture is not suitable for whipping. Best for: cooking and baking.

Incorporating extra fat into regular milk can make a great substitute for heavy cream. Simply melt unsalted butter, let it cool slightly, and then whisk it into milk, using a ratio of 1 part melted butter to 3 parts milk by volume.

Sour cream is an easy replacement for heavy cream. It can be easily stirred into a dish and offers another flavor profile to soups, stews and sauces. Plus, using it as a heavy cream substitute is a great way to use up that lingering tub in the fridge.

No milk (except for coconut milk) can replace heavy cream without the addition of a thickener, ideally a fat of some kind. To make a heavy cream substitute with almond milk, we recommend adding soaked nuts or vegan butter, or plain silken tofu to get the right texture.

One cup of heavy cream can be replaced with one cup of evaporated milk, or three-quarters of a cup of milk plus one-third of a cup of butter. Editor's note: Evaporated milk lends a slightly toasty, caramel taste, so keep that in mind when adding it to recipes.

How much butter do you add to half-and-half to make heavy cream? ›

Half-and-half + butter

By adding melted butter, which is around 80% fat, to the liquid, you can increase that fat content. For this substitution, you'll want to combine ¾ cup of half-and-half with ¼ cup melted unsalted butter—this will replace 1 cup of heavy cream.

Similar to milk, heavy cream can be frozen for 1 to 2 months. It will also separate once thawed, but heavy cream's higher fat content does fare better — it separates less than lighter dairy products.

Equipment options: I love using my hand mixer (affiliate link) to make whipped cream because I hate lugging out my heavy stand mixer. You can also use an immersion blender or whip it together by hand, if you're patient (Bon Appetit has a video for that). Start chilled. At minimum, your heavy cream needs to be chilled.

Heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, is the thick part of the milk that rises to the top due to its high fat content. With about 36-40% fat, it has one of the highest fat contents compared to other dairy products. Whipping cream comes in at a close but lighter second, with about 30% milk fat.

add 1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter. to 3/4 cup of whole milk or half and half. slowly whisk it in to create the emulsion. now you can add this more rich. heavy cream substitute to your recipes.